BALTIMORE - Duke University scored six unanswered goals between the first and third quarters and left a sold-out Rev. Harold Ridley, S.J., Athletic Complex with an 8-5 victory Saturday afternoon over host Loyola University Maryland.

Prior to the game, the ninth-ranked Greyhounds celebrated the opening of Awalt Field and the Ridley Athletic Complex with speeches from City of Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Loyola University Maryland President Fr. Brian J. Linnane, S.J., and the Archbishop of Baltimore, Edwin O'Brien.

Despite a hard, soaking rain that blanketed the Baltimore area during the day, Loyola recorded a sell-out of 6,000 fans in its first game at Ridley.

"Our students and fans were tremendous today," said senior defender Steve Layne. "I had goose bumps coming out of the tunnel with all of the noise from the crowd. They were just amazing despite the horrible weather."

Loyola (3-2 overall) responded to the energy by taking an early lead. Senior attacker Collin Finnerty scored the first-ever goal at Ridley, taking a Pat Byrnes pass from behind the cage and scoring 5:03 into the contest.

The score remained 1-0 for over eight minutes before Duke's Mike Catalino broke through with 1:41 left in the first quarter, tying the game at 1-1.

Neither team scored in the early part of the second, but Steve Schoeffel scored off a Ned Crotty assist with 7:43 in the frame, giving the 10th-ranked Blue Devils a lead they would not surrender.

The Blue Devils (3-3) scored on a Crotty goal after a transition pass from Parker McKee less than two minutes later, and Max Quinzani added a man-down goal in transition with 1:35 to play in the half.

Quinzani then scored on a man-up opportunity with 15 seconds left on the first half clock, giving the Blue Devils a 5-1 advantage at the break.

He then made it three goals in a row, scoring 10 seconds into the second half. All three of his first goals were assisted by Crotty.

Cooper MacDonnell broke the Duke rally, scoring on a Byrnes assist with 9:27 to go in the second quarter.

Quinzani added a fourth goal with 2:21 to play in the fourth, scoring after he caused a turnover on a Loyola clear.

"We did not do a good job clearing the ball for the second week in a row, and that is something that we have to make sure does not happen again," Head Coach Charley Toomey said. "We gave up just eight goals to a very good offensive team, but we could have made fewer mistakes."

Finnerty made an inside move, taking a pass from Eric Lusby to score with 34 seconds left in the third quarter, and he then made it a three-goal Duke advantage, 7-4, with a man-up goal on a dodge from the left side with 3:56 remaining in the game.

Duke, however, scored 1:33 later, as the Blue Devils broke up another Loyola clear, and Zach Howell scored with 2:23 remaining.

Loyola won the ensuing faceoff, and Stephen Murray use hard, low shot from the right side to provide the final score.

John Schiavone was excellent for the Greyhounds at the faceoff `X,' winning 13-of-17 restarts against Duke's C.J. Costabile, Sam Payton and Terrence Molinari.

Schiavone led all players with a career-high 12 ground balls.

"I thought that if we scored the next goal, we were going to have a very good chance on the faceoff," Toomey said. "We wasted a great day by John Schiavone today."

Loyola also had a 40-35 lead in ground balls and 36-28 advantage in shots, but the Greyhounds also had 22 turnovers to Duke's 19.

The Greyhounds are back in action at Ridley when they return to ECAC Lacrosse League action on Saturday, March 20, when they host Air Force at 1 p.m.